The Finnish Government decided on 5 November 2026 to designate four areas in Finland’s exclusive economic zone for offshore wind power. It also issued a decree setting out how the competitive tendering for the areas will work, and proposed new rules on the construction and decommissioning of offshore wind farms.
Two of the areas lie in the Bothnian Sea and two in the Bothnian Bay: Selkämeri länsi (Bothnian Sea West), Selkämeri itä (Bothnian Sea East), Perämeri etelä (Bothnian Bay South) and Perämeri pohjoinen (Bothnian Bay North). A developer will be chosen for each area through a tender, and the winner may then apply for an exploitation permit to carry out detailed studies and seek the other permits required. Perämeri etelä will be tendered first, with the other three to follow. According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Energy Authority could launch the first tender as early as the first half of 2027.
The model involves no state aid. The ministry notes that it can take 10 to 15 years from tender to electricity generation. Under the decree, the winner will be selected on the price offered and certain qualitative factors, each accounting for half of the evaluation. Bidders and winners must post securities, and the winner’s performance security rises as the project advances: it is relatively low in the early stages and is released only if the project is built. The rules were adjusted after the consultation round.
The Government also proposed adding provisions to the Water Act on construction and decommissioning in the exclusive economic zone, including a decommissioning security. As a rule, a wind farm would be dismantled completely at the end of its life, although the Finnish Supervisory Agency could assess case by case how far structures must be removed at seabed level. Building up the security mainly after operations begin is intended to reduce financing costs, while the polluter-pays principle is meant to keep decommissioning costs away from the public. The provisions on decommissioning would also apply in territorial waters. The proposed act is due to enter into force in spring 2027.
“Offshore wind power projects often take many years to develop. That’s why it is important to start preparing now, even though offshore wind power in Finland’s exclusive economic zone is not yet profitable on market terms,” said Minister of Climate and the Environment Sari Multala. The ministry will hold a webinar on the decisions on 12 November 2026 from 13:30 to 15:00 Finnish time.
